I wonder-
We are social creatures. Hell, we often commit suicide when we can't fit in, for example. It's MIGHTY important to MOST people, regardless of socio-economics. Outcasts hang themselves.
What's the #1 thing that says I'm broke? No vehicle standing on a corner waiting for a bus? Driving a shit vehicle with rust (like mine)? Take your pic. Both can shame an American fast. We've been taught this.
So what do people do to avoid their broke-ass appearance? They do what you've been watching them do- buy their social acceptance, at least in their mind. They get a loan they have no business getting from a bank that knows damn well this will end up badly for the consumer. But the banks don't care because consumers will allow themselves to be evicted before having a car repossessed.
When wealth and disparity are so perfectly shown to us in all media, how can a large group of the population hope to ignore it? How to avoid the feeling of inadequacy that is created by the media? When bank and credit card offers come in the mail daily? After a while everyone says "yes, gimme the fucking money and I'll buy some social acceptance."
There is enormous force to be a consumer, as we're told we'll fit in better, be more attractive. How is this escapable? It's not. So despite this being such an apparently obvious life lesson to so many here, it's not obvious to most out there and here we are...